Conductor Alan Duguid will be returning to meet old friends for the London & Southern Counties Regional Championships this year when he takes the baton of Woodbridge Excelsior

Formed in 1846 the Suffolk ensemble will perform in the Fourth Section in Stevenage with Alan enjoying his return back to the band he conducted when he first moved to London from Scotland in 2006.

Great to help

He told 4BR: "It really is great to be able to help out and meet up with plenty of old friends. They are a super band full of wonderful people — and over subscribed with players too. They are just a bit too far away for me nowadays, but I'm thrilled to be able to conduct them again as a one-off."

He added: "I did my first rehearsal last Saturday and we'll have two further workshop days before the contest, so there is plenty of hard work to mix in with the fun."